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chapter 30
Devaltin slowly extended his hand.
Then, he opened the balcony window that had been closed.
“…….”
Even facing Devaltin like this, Duke Lersen looked as if he didn’t understand what was happening at all.
“Devaltin……”
Only after a long moment did Duke Lersen’s lips part with a faint groan.
“Crown Prince……?”
It seemed that he had finally realized the situation he was in. Duke Lersen let out a hollow, incredulous chuckle.
“……To think you came to such a shabby place, I am so ashamed I could cry. And in this rain, no less.”
Devaltin didn’t respond. He simply stared silently at Lersen.
“So, you’ve come to kill me? Personally, too.”
“…….”
“Did Her Majesty the Empress command this?”
A clear sneer formed on Lersen’s lips.
…What underlies that sneer? What is he mocking?
Is it the recklessness of someone daring to come alone to kill Duke Lersen?
Or is it the fact that, despite holding the position of Crown Prince and being the most likely heir to the throne in everyone’s eyes, he must blindly obey Hella’s orders like a hunting dog?
Which one it was, Devaltin could not tell.
“You even reached out to the Til mercenaries… you must have been in quite a rush, Duke Lersen.”
“That’s unavoidable, isn’t it?”
Lersen replied with a smirk.
“If this continues, my precious daughter and grandchild will be slaughtered by the Empress, and I can’t just stand by doing nothing.”
“…….”
“You, who grew up safely in the Empress’s arms like a greenhouse flower, may not have considered it, but those whose lives are like candles in the wind can plot anything to survive.”
“Grew up safely in the Empress’s arms?”
This time, Devaltin smiled.
“How curious… that a greenhouse flower is moving about so directly.”
Lersen continued.
“Or perhaps, in the Empress’s eyes, her only son is no different from the others who could be slaughtered at any time.”
“…….”
“Isn’t that rather amusing?”
Despite the laughter in Lersen’s words, Devaltin did not respond. He simply thought.
It was, in a way, fortunate.
Before killing him, he had overheard the conversation Lersen had with his servants.
At least that meant he wouldn’t have to carry too much guilt.
“It’s an honor to offer the Duke a bit of entertainment for the last time.”
Devaltin met Lersen’s gaze for a brief moment, then quickly drew his sword.
He swung it with all his strength toward Lersen.
“Ugh…….”
Lersen barely managed to dodge, but the sword had already pierced his abdomen. Devaltin pulled it out without hesitation, gripping the sword tightly, his face streaked with red blood.
Lersen bit his lips, trembling, and extended his arm. He picked up a short dagger.
Gulp.
Blood poured from Lersen’s mouth as he gripped the dagger. He staggered slightly, then fixed his gaze on Devaltin and shouted with all his remaining strength.
“An intruder! Is anyone there?!”
Even Lersen’s scream, close to a shriek, did not sway Devaltin. He raised his blood-dripping sword high once more.
This time, with no mistakes, to finally kill Lersen.
Then, with a loud crack, thunder and lightning struck behind Devaltin.
In that brief instant… Devaltin’s violet eyes trembled violently.
Lersen didn’t miss the opportunity.
With all his might, he thrust the dagger down, just as Devaltin had. Using the last of his strength.
But unfortunately, Lersen’s weakened strike hit not Devaltin’s heart but his shoulder blade.
“…….”
Even with the dagger through his shoulder, Devaltin didn’t make a sound.
Instead, he swung his sword briefly toward Lersen’s neck.
Thud……
With a sickening sound, Lersen’s head was severed in an instant, falling onto the expensive carpet.
Devaltin briefly looked at Lersen’s corpse, then, just as he had when he first appeared, he jumped off the balcony without a sound.
“Kyaaah!”
Soon, sharp screams echoed throughout the vast Duke’s estate, but Devaltin did not look back.
Soaked in rain and blood, he disappeared into the darkness, stumbling slightly as he walked away.
Devaltin finally stopped in a dark alley, where few people passed.
“…….”
Leaning against the wall, his face was faintly pale.
It was understandable. His whole body was soaked in cold rain, and blood was still dripping from his shoulder.
At least, the wound from Lersen’s dagger wasn’t life-threatening.
But that didn’t mean it was a minor injury.
“……Ugh.”
Perhaps from blood loss, perhaps from lowered body temperature, his vision briefly swirled. Devaltin wobbled without realizing it and finally collapsed onto the ground.
Nearby trash clattered unpleasantly across the ground, but none of it mattered now.
‘I have to… get back to the palace…’
Though the sun would rise much later, he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t run into anyone. And if his identity was discovered in this state, things would get worse.
Yet despite thinking that logically, his body wouldn’t cooperate.
“…….”
Devaltin lifted his head weakly, staring at the pitch-black night sky.
To make matters worse, the rain showed no signs of stopping. He exhaled briefly and looked down at the ground, then suddenly looked at his hand.
He could still feel the unpleasant sensation of the dagger piercing flesh and bone.
And the moment Lersen’s neck was severed.
Even the eyes of Lersen, filled with intent to kill him……
…Since he knew Lersen was after his life, he felt less guilt.
But feeling less guilt did not ease the disgust and revulsion he felt about his own situation.
“Perhaps in the Empress’s eyes, her only son is no different from others who could be slaughtered at any time. Isn’t that amusing?”
Lersen was right.
Yes, it was amusing. No, perhaps nothing could be more ridiculous than this.
“Those whose lives are like candles in the wind can plot anything to survive.”
But Duke Lersen did not know this.
Sometimes, the wind knows everything.
Even if the candle schemes endlessly to survive… it might still remain nothing more than a plaything of the wind, manipulated until the very end.
And the end is always surrender.
Just like Devaltin now.
Devaltin smiled through his tears.
…Ah, he wished he could just die.
If only he could, it would be less painful than now.
He would be freer than now.
He could even cry aloud if he wished……
As blood-soaked Devaltin stared blankly into the void with violet eyes, a sudden presence approached from ahead.
“…….”
Snapping back to attention, Devaltin rose to his feet. Reflexively, he drew his sword and tensed as footsteps drew closer.
“That’s strange… I could’ve sworn I heard someone collapse……”
But the figure that finally appeared was completely unexpected.
“Oh my… what is this…….”
The source of the presence was none other than Celestine Winsel.
…Why does he always run into her like this?
And always like this.
“…….”
Celestine stared at Devaltin blankly, dumbfounded, and Devaltin paused sharply, meeting her gaze.
